.png)
Effect of a unique nasal douche methodon elimination of nasopharyngeal crusts following radiotherapy in nasopharyngeal carcinoma patients. Problem/Objectives: Nasopharyngeal crusts can induce clinical discomfort in nasopharyngeal carcinoma (NPC) patients after radiotherapy. Effective nasopharyngeal lavage method has become an integral part of NPC therapy. Thus, our study objective was to develop a simple, effective and economical alternative method to remove nasopharyngeal crusts following radiotherapy for NPC.
Methodology: NPC patients (N=95) undergoing radiotherapy were randomized in two groups. One group of fifty NPC patients who used a nasal douche method called“nasal suction and oral discharge (NSOD)”twice daily for four inhalations each time continuing for 12 months were compared with the control group who used conventional saline nasal spray(45 patients,spraying donetwice daily, four sprays on both sides of the nose each time, for 12 months). Nasal endoscopy was used to observe the nasopharyngeal crust regularly. Visual analog scale (VAS) was used to assess subjective symptoms such as nasal congestion and epistaxis.
Results: Minor crust formation(5/50) or no observable crusting (45/50) was found in the nasopharynx, and the average VAS score was 3.25±2.05 in the NSOD group. Percentage of crust in the NSOD group was lower than that in the control group (23/45). Obvious crust could be seen in the control group(10/45), but not in the NSOD group. VAS score in the control group was 6.19±2.30, which was higher than that in the NSOD group.
Conclusions: NSOD method was more effective than the conventional method to clear nasopharyngeal crusts, and we suggest replacing the conventional method by classical treatment of NSOD after radiotherapy for NPC.